Top 5 Hall Of Fame Tribute: Rickey Henderson

There will never be another Rickey Henderson. Baseball greatness is often compared to greatness that came before. Shohei Ohtani is the Japanese Babe Ruth. Mike Trout was once considered this generation's Mickey Mantle. I would be surprised is any ballplayer, now or in the future, gets mentioned as a contemporary of the great Rickey Henderson. 

As I usual do when a Hall of Famer passes, I go through my collection and hope I have 5 good cards to show off. With Henderson, I had trouble narrowing down to 5 great cards. In the end, I decided to honor the "Man of Steal" with 5 cards all depicting him sliding into base, because that's the enduring image we got from Rickey over a thousand times in his career. Humbly, I present my Top 5 favorite "sliding" Rickey Henderson cards in my collection:

 

1990 Score #698 Rickey Henderson (HL, ALCS)

 

Although speed and Rickey Henderson go hand in hand, it's important to remember he was not a one trick pony. With over 3000 hits and over 2000 walks, he was a master of getting on base. 81 times he led off a game with a home run. Henderson made things happen.

1991 Topps #670 Rickey Henderson

 

Last year, Elly De La Cruz led the majors with 66 stolen bases. If he matched that feat every year for the next 19 years, he still would trail Rickey's stolen base total.

1992 Donruss #193 Rickey Henderson

 

In 1982, Henderson set the single season record for stolen bases with 130, just 13 off from the number of base hits he had that season! He was actually caught stealing an amazing 42 times that year!

 

1993 Fleer #294 Rickey Henderson 

One of his most impressive games happened on July 29, 1989. He walked four times in that game, thus having no official at-bats. He recorded an amazing 5 stolen bases in that game!

 

2021 Stadium Club #235 Rickey Henderson 

Obviously, Henderson made his mark mostly with the Oakland Athletics, as well as some peak career years with the Yankees. Even though he bounced around at the end of his career playing for a total of 9 different teams, he kept playing well and kept stealing bases until his final season in 2003 at the age of 44. He stole over 100 bases after the age of 40, and the only two seasons where he didn't reach at least 20 thefts in a year were his final two ones.

He was arguably the greatest player of the 80's, and energy and confidence made him a favorite of baseball fans everywhere. Rest in peace Rickey. There will never be another player like you.

Top 5 Hall Of Fame - Joe Mauer

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies happen this weekend, and four new members will officially be welcomed to the legendary museum.Our final honoree is Twins great Joe Mauer. In honor of his induction, I present the top 5 cards I own of his:

 

2016 Topps Archives #85

 

Mauer was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and attended the same high school as hall of Famer (and his future manager) Paul Molitor. The Twins then made him the #1 pick in the 2001 draft, and he never played for another MLB team outside of his hometown.

 

2016 Topps Archives #261

 

I don't know why he got 2 cards in the 2016 Topps Archives set, but here he is catching a throw at first base. Mauer spent the last five years of his career as a first baseman, but it was his time behind the plate that cemented him as one of the all-time greats. He won 3 batting titles, more than any catcher in MLB history. He also was a near-unanimous MVP and 6-time All-Star.

 

2016 Topps Archives

- 1985 Topps #1 Draft Picks

#85DP-JM

 

Yep, another card from that same set! The Twins got a lot of criticism for selecting Mauer with the first overall pick, as many people regarded Mark Prior the superior player.  The Twins got the last laugh, as Mauer becomes just the 4th #1 Draft Pick to get elected to the Hall of Fame, joining Ken Griffey Jr, Chipper Jones, and Harold Baines.

2016 Topps

Walmart Marketside #42

 

In addition to his MVP Award, Mauer was also won 3 straight Gold Gloves (2008-2010) and 5 Silver Slugger Awards. He holds the season records for highest batting average (.365) and OBP (.444) by a catcher, both accomplished in 2009. He also holds the career OBP mark for catchers (.388 - minimum 500 games played).

2017 Topps #404

Mauer joined Adrian Beltre as a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee this year, gaining 293 votes (76.1%). In doing so, he joined Johnny Bench and Ivan Rodriguez as the only catchers to get elected on their first ballot.

Welcome to the Hall Joe Mauer!

Top 5 Hall Of Fame - Todd Helton

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies happen this weekend, and four new members will officially be welcomed to the legendary museum. Today, I honor Todd Helton. Helton is one of those players whose career occurred at a time that I wasn't collecting, so I only own a single card of his. So, I filled in the rest of my Top 5 with a sample of cards that I enjoy.

 

1999 Topps #52 (ASR)

This has to be one of the all-time great Rookie Cup cards, doesn't it? How often to you get candid shots of a player waiting around trying to stay dry during a rain delay? Helton took over first base for Colorado in 1998, and led all rookies in either league in most of the major offensive categories. He would have been a slam dunk choice for Rookie of the Year if it had not been for the historic season by Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood.

 

2001 Upper Deck Victory #532

 

This is the only card I own of his. When this card came out, Helton was coming off an amazing 2000 season that resulted in a Top 5 MVP finish as well as the first of 5 straight All-Star selections and 4 straight Silver Slugger awards.

 

2003 Stadium Club #59

 

In addition to being a great hitter, Helton was regularly regarded as one of the best fielding first baseman in the Majors. He won 3 Gold Gloves over the course of his career.

 

2014 Topps #253 (BH, CL)

 

Technically, I once owned this card too. It was part of the Time Travel Trading stack and has since moved on. Helton announced his retirement in 2013, an impressive 5 years after he was diagnosed with a degenerative back condition. He is one of only 11 retired players in Major League history with at least a .300/.400/.500 AVE/OBP/SLG slash line and 350 home runs.

2019 Topps Update

- 150 Years of Professional Baseball

#150-42

 

Let's talk about that 2000 season again, because it truly was something special. He won his first and only batting title, and also led the National League in hits, OBP, SLG (and thusly OPS), doubles, RBI, extra base hits, and total bases. Only hits and OBP didn't lead the Majors. He became the 11th player in MLB history to surpass 100 extra base hits, only the second time that happened since 1948. (Fun fact: In 2001, that mark was surpassed 4 more times, including by Helton again, but has not been done since!) Despite all this, Helton only finished 5th in the MVP race, thanks to the Rockies's 4th place finish and the stigma of the "thin Colorado air". 

Welcome to the Hall, Todd Helton!

Top 5 Hall Of Fame - Adrian Beltre

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies happen this weekend, and four new members will officially be welcomed to the legendary museum. Today, I honor Adrian Beltre with my top 5 favorite cards that are in my collection.

 

2010 Topps Update #US-145

 

It's slightly ironic that I don't own any cards of his when he was with the Dodgers or Mariners. I've stated this many times: The lone year that Beltre played for the Red Sox was the start of his Hall of Fame ascent. Even though he made his debut as a 19 year old with the Dodgers in 1998, Beltre's time in L.A. was good, but unremarkable. That is until his final season with them, when he came out of nowhere to lead the league with 48 home runs and finish 2nd in MVP voting. He is the poster boy for the "contract year" player, as he parlayed that amazing season into a 5-year deal with Seattle.

2011 Topps #302

 

Funny enough, he's also well known for another free agency term: "pillow contract". Like his time with the Dodgers, the Mariners got good, but not great, production from Beltre. An unfortunate injury in 2009 meant that Beltre walked into his 2nd contract year on the wrong side of 30 and without much interest. The Red Sox and Beltre took a shot on a one year contract, hoping that Beltre would stay healthy and show the baseball world that he was still a productive player. It worked out well for both sides, as Beltre made his first All-Star team and went on to post his best year since that MVP runner-up season.

 

2015 Topps #175

 

Unfortunately for Red Sox fans everywhere, the team let Adrian walk after the season, opting to trade for another Adrian (Gonzalez) and moving fan favorite Kevin Youkilis to third. Beltre landed in Texas, and for the next 8 seasons would hit and field at a Hall of Fame level.

 

2018 Topps #254

 

When all was said and done, Beltre would be named to 4 All-Star teams, win 4 Silver Slugger Awards, and 5 Gold Gloves (including 2 Platinum Gloves). He reached the 3,000 hit plateau, the 31st player in MLB history to do so, and the very first from the Dominican Republic. He is the only 3rd Baseman to have over 3,000 hits and 400 home runs.

 

2019 Stadium Club #275

 

Adrian Beltre is easily one of the best third baseman of all-time, and sailed into the Hall of Fame on his first year on the ballot, receiving 95.1% of the votes.

 

Welcome to the Hall, Adrian! I hope you don't mind people touching your plaque on the head!

Top 5 Tribute: Orlando Cepeda

The baseball community lost another Hall of Fame member when the great Orlando Cepeda passed away on June 28th. In honor of the "Baby Bull", I present the top 5 cards in my collection:

 

1974 Topps #83 

 

Cepeda spent just a single year with the Red Sox, but it was a historic one. After the AL instituted the designated hitter rule in December of 1972, the Red Sox called Cepeda and asked him if he'd like to be the DH for their team. He accepted on the spot and became the first Red Sox DH in history. He had a chance to be the first DH in Major league history too, but a wild 1st inning from Luis Tiant gave that title to the Yankee's Ron Blomburg. Cepeda would go on to have a great season for Boston and became the first recipient of the Designated Hitter of the Year Award. He also became the first player in history to hit 20 home runs for 4 different teams.

 

1975 Topps #205 1967 MVPs

(Yastrzemski/Cepeda)  

 

Cepeda had his best year in 1967, winning the NL MVP award and leading the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series victory over Yastrzemski's Red Sox. Cepeda became just the second NL player to win the award unanimously.

 

2005 UD Past Time

Pennants #60 

 

In addition to his MVP and Designated Hitter Of The Year awards, Orlando Cepeda also won the 1958 NL Rookie of the Year and was an 11 time All-Star. In 1959 he became the first Peurto Rican player to start in an All-Star game.

 

2016 Stadium Club #63

 

This card hits especially hard, with both players passing away in the past month. While Mays was a franchise icon, Cepeda was regarded as the first great "San Francisco" Giant. (Mays of course played when the Giants were still a New York team, and Cepeda's rookie debut occurred during the franchise's first season across the continent.)

 

2016 Topps Heritage

- Baseball Flashbacks #BF-OC

 

In retrospect, it's hard to believe that Cepeda had a long and difficult journey to becoming a Hall of Fame member. For the first 12 years on the ballot (1980-1991) he failed to surpass 50% of the ballots cast, and on his 15th and final ballot, he just missed induction with 73.5% of the vote. He would have to wait an additional 5 years before he was elected by the Hall of Fame Veteran's Committee in 1999. (Even then, his induction was overshadowed by his induction "classmates", the trio of Nolan Ryan, George Brett, and Robin Yount.)

RIP, Mr. Cepeda. You will not be forgotten.

Top 5 Tribute: Willie Mays

In all of the years I've been doing these small tributes to Hall of Fame players that have passed, I haven't had as hard of a time creating one as I have for the late great Willie Mays, who passed away on June 18th. Part of it is due to the fact I technically only have one playing era cards of his, but it's much more than that. How can you summarize this man's life on and off the field in a short little blog post? You can't. I even reread what I wrote for Hank Aaron, hoping for inspiration. Instead I found that a lot of what I wanted to say for Mr. Mays I had already said for Mr. Aaron. Here's my opening paragraph: 

This one hurts. Not that any of the others didn't, each spectacular life was one worth celebrating. But none of the recent string of deaths among the legends of baseball had the sheer impact as the immortal Henry Aaron. He was one of the true giants of the game, an automatic inclusion on the Mount Rushmore of the greatest of the great. His story transcended the game itself, captivating even non-baseball fans. There will never be another Hank Aaron.

 

I could have easily swapped out the names, removed the line about the recent string of deaths (Man, September 2020 to January 2021 was rough stretch for us baseball fans...) and chances are no one but me would have noticed. Even 2 of the 5 cards I showed of Aaron featured Mays and were on the short list for this post! It would still have been true though: There will never be another Willie Mays. 

As my small thanks to life of a Giant, both on and off the field, I humbly present the Top 5 Willie Mays cards in my collection:

1973 Topps

#1 All-Time Home Run Leaders

(Ruth/Aaron/Mays)

There was a time when Mays was #2 on the all-time list, and people wondered if it would be him to surpass the immortal Babe Ruth. It was not to be, and for the longest time these three would be the only ones to surpass the 600 home run mark. (Six more have joined that club since - 3 of which under questionable circumstances). 

 

1985 Topps Woolworth

All Time Record Holders

#26 Willie Mays 

The first two bullet points on the back of this card mention his All-Star Game career records of 20 runs and 23 hits. Those are still the records, along with most All-Star Games played (24 - tied with Musial), at bats (75), stolen bases (6), extra-base hits (8 - tied with Musial), total bases (40 - tied with Musial), and triples (3 - tied with Brooks Robinson). To quote Ted Williams: "They invented the  All-Star Game  for Willie Mays." Speaking of Williams...

1993 Ted Williams

#126 Willie Mays (GH)

It was poetic that Mays passed just days before the Giants and Cardinals played games at Rickwood Field, the same field Mays patrolled as a member of the Birmingham Black Barons as a teenager. Mays was the most prominent member left of the old Negro Leagues, and it's a sad reminder that there are not many former players left. According to MLB, all 157 surviving members (including Mays at the time) were invited to the game at Rickwood. MLB has taken big strides to preserve the memory of the Negro League and it's players, and hopefully more will be done in the future.

2015 Topps Heritage - Baseball Flashbacks

#BF-9 Willie Mays

In 1966, Mays became the all-time National League home run hitter, and has since been eclipsed only by his own godson Barry Bonds. He came in 3rd in MVP voting that year, behind Roberto Clemente and Sandy Koufax. It was the last of 13 straight years that Mays placed in the MVP vote. He only won twice, but arguments have been made that he should have won up to 8 MVP awards!

2016 Topps Archives

#286 Willie Mays

Mays was the last superstar from that Golden Age of baseball. The last of the inner-circle Hall of Famers. He may have been the greatest player of all time. His passing closes the book on a life that continued to impact the history of baseball over 50 years after he last played a game.

R.I.P. Willie Mays, and thank you.

Top 5 Tribute: Whitey Herzog

Sometime I can't help but feel slightly guilty for not being more timely with posts. After almost 3 weeks after the announcement that Hall of Fame manager Whitey Herzog passed away at the age of 92, I am just now paying tribute. I'll admit that outside of a not all that amusing personal anecdote, I don't have much to say about Mr. Herzog. And yet, as I have done with Hall of Famers in the past, I offer my personal tribute to the man with the Top 5 cards of his in my collection.

 

1978 Topps #299

 

I don't own any cards of his as a player, which is fine because it's as a manager where he made his mark. After brief stints managing the Rangers and Angels, Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog took over the Royals in the middle of the 1975 season. He then led the Royals to 3 straight AL West titles (1976-78).

 

1986 Topps #441

 

Herzog joined the Cardinals in 1980 and over the next 11 years, he led St. Louis to 3 NL pennants (1982, 1985, 1987) and a Word Series victory (1982).

 

1987 Topps #243

 

Herzog's Cardinals were focused on speed, pitching and defense. This style of play became known as "Whiteyball". That 1982 Championship team had almost 3 times as many stolen bases (200) as home runs (67)!

 

1987 Topps

Glossy All-Stars #1

 

About that personal anecdote...a long time ago I worked part time at Radio Shack. For a short while, I had a manager who shared the same last name as Whitey, and claimed that they were in fact related and that he would get me his autograph. This guy was a known pathological liar, shady, and easily the worst boss I ever had, so needless to say, I wasn't holding my breath on that offer...

 

1990 Topps #261

 

Herzog's last managerial stint ended when he resigned during the 1990 baseball season. He was quoted as saying "I came here in last place and I leave here in last place. I left them right where I started."

 

RIP to the great Whitey Herzog!

Blog Bat-Around: 5 Best Pack Pulled Hits

My recent Tony Gwynn pull made me wonder if that was the best card hit I ever pulled from a pack. I've pulled some great cards in my time, but could anything top a relic card of a Hall of Famer, especially if it was limited to only 25 copies? I decided to look through my collection and find out. Then I decided, why not try and make this a blog bat-around? I'd love to see what other bloggers have pulled!

Fortunately for me, the TCDB has a feature that lets me see lists of all my autographs, relics, and serial numbered cards. I just had to go through each one and try to remember which ones came from pack pulls! 

 

 

After much contemplation and re-ordering. I present to you the 5 best hits I have ever pulled from a pack of cards:

#5

2019 Topps Gypsy Queen - Red
#288 Jose Abreu (SN10)

  

The lowest serial numbered card I have ever pulled, this one is serial number 10/10 - not too shabby for a former MVP and ROY winner!

 

#4

2019 Topps Holiday - Relics
#WHR-FT Fernando Tatis Jr. (MEM)

  

If Tatis continues to play the game the right way, he has a chance to earn redemption for the poor choices he made early in his career. With his talent, that redemption could place him among the all-time greats. A relic of his from his "RC" designation year could be a big score 10-15 years from now.

 

#3

1991 Score - Mickey Mantle #5
Speed and Grace (PR5500)

 

I consider this the first real "hit" I ever pulled. According to Baseballcardpedia, the chances of pulling one of these in a pack was 1 in 1,942. Until I pulled this card, I wasn't even aware the insert set existed.
 

#2

2018 Topps Update - Memorial Day Camo
#US153 Japan's Finest (VC, SN25)

 

I was tempted to make this my top choice based purely on speculation. Ichiro will be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Ohtani will someday join him if he can stay out of trouble (I "bet" he will!). Best case scenario is a low serial numbered card of two Hall of Famers. Worse case scenario, it's arguably two of the greatest players to ever come from Japan. If only the picture was better and both players were facing forward. 

 

 #1

2024 Topps - 1989 Topps Baseball
35th Anniversary Relics Red
#89BR-TG Tony Gwynn (MEM, SN25)

Recency bias probably is a factor in my choice to make this the best card I ever pulled. However, it's such a great card! It has almost everything you can want out of a hit - big name, low serial number, history in the form of a relic, and that classic 1989 design. 

 

Alright, fellow bloggers, the challenge has been put forth: What are the best cards you ever pulled from a pack?

Top 5 Tribute: Brooks Robinson

Earlier this week, the baseball world lost Hall Of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson. In honor of his extraordinary career, I humbly present the Top 5 cards of him I have in my collection.

1978 Topps #4

('77 Record Breaker)

 

Robinson's final appearance in a Topps base set was this card celebrating a record 23 years with only one club, a record he still shares with Carl Yastrzemski.

1989 Kahn's/Hillshire Farm

Cooperstown Collection #NNO

Robinson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983 with 92% of the vote. He became the first third baseman to be elected in his first year of eligibility.

1998 Sports Illustrated Then and Now

 - Great Shots! #21 GS

(Brooks Robinson/Frank Robinson)

From 1966-1971, the Robinsons teamed up to lead the Orioles to two World Championships. Fun Fact: Only two players in MLB history have won the AL MVP, All-Star Game MVP, and World Series MVP - that's right, Brooks and Frank Robinson!

2019 Stadium Club #12

Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", no position player has won more Gold Gloves than the 16 that Brooks won consecutively from 1960-1975. Appropriately, the statue of him outside of Camden Yards in Baltimore features him wearing a golden glove.

2021 Topps Archives

- 1989 Topps Big Foil #89BF-25

Two reasons to end this tribute with this card - that fantastic orange jersey, and that smile. Brooks Robinson was highly regarded by his peers and fans alike for his humility and friendly demeanor.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Robinson, and thank you.

Top 5 Hall Of Fame: Scott Rolen

Joining Fred McGriff in this weekend's Hall of Fame ceremony is Scott Rolen. Rolen never lead the league in any statistic, and had a reputation for being injured, but few can deny he beautifully blended consistent offensive production with defensive mastery. Like McGriff earlier this week, I am presenting a Top 5 of his cards. Unlike McGriff, the first two are the only ones in my collection. In addition to thses two, I rounded out my Top 5 with three cards that I appreciate and enjoy. I hope you will too.

1997 Upper Deck #229

Rolen made his Major League debut on August 1, 1996. Five weeks later his season ended when he was hit by a pitch and fractured his right ulna. What's interesting is that his 1996 season ended with exactly 130 at-bats, the maximum number allowed to be considered a rookie. That hit-by-pitch (that didn't count as an at-bat) meant that Rolen retained his rookie eligibility for the 1997 season. He would go on to win the Rookie of the Year award.

1998 Collector's Choice #261

This card is fun but weird. On the one hand, both players unanimously won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1997. What makes it weird is that Rolen didn't lead the NL in rookie batting average - he came in fourth behind Vladimir Guerrero, Wilton Guerrero, and Neifi Perez. Both Rolen and Nomar lead their respective rookie groups in runs, home runs, and RBI - any of those would have been a better choice!

 

2002 Stadium Club #43

Rolen is regarded as one of the best fielding third basemen ever. He won eight Gold Gloves, more than anyone at the hot corner except for Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, and Nolan Arenado.

2004 Topps #582

2004 was Rolen's best season statistically. He set career highs in numerous offensive categories, and finished 4th in MVP voting. His 2 run home run off Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the NLCS capped the decisive win that would send the Cardinals to the World Series.

2009 Topps Updates
& Highlights #UH76

In 2011, he became the fourth third baseman ever to have 2,000 hits, 500 doubles, 300 home runs and 1,200 RBIs, joining Mike Schmidt, George Brett, and Chipper Jones.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Scott Rolen!